But You Were Dead
by Crystal7
Summary: Ten years after Leia's marriage to Isolder she runs into the last person she ever expected to see... Han Solo (Look for the sequel, Self Defense!, posted here on ff.net. If you can't find it e-mail and I'll send you the addy.)


But You Were Dead  
  
The Millennium Falcon flew overhead but the ship carrying Han Solo was gone. Leia sank down into despair. "NO! HAN!"  
  
Isolder comforted her as best he could, "I'm sorry, Leia, but he's gone."  
  
"No!" Leia screamed at him, her face wild, "I would know if he was dead! I WOULD KNOW!"  
  
Luke had Chewie fly the Falcon as he headed into the back of this ship to comfort his sister, "Leia, he's gone. I can feel it."  
  
Leia grabbed Luke's collar and shook him, despite his weak condition, "NO! I WON'T GIVE UP!"  
  
Luke grabbed Leia back and tried to steady her, "Listen to me. Stretch out with the force. You know it to be true."  
  
Isolder watched them with curiosity. "Leia can't use the force. What are you playing at Jedi?"  
  
They both ignored him as Leia steadied herself and reached out for Han.and didn't find him. She closed her eyes and fell into her brother's arms, sobbing, "No. No. No."  
  
10 years later.  
  
Queen Mother Leia Organa walked down the marble halls of the palace. Luke was arriving today and she was so excited. She was always so happy when Luke came around; he was sort of a reminder of the simpler days. The days when they knew just who they were fighting and what they were fighting for. Now, none of them were sure.  
  
With the Hapan fortune Leia had had the power to wipe out the Empire completely, and had done so. But there were Rebellions and Rebel groups. They would never achieve pure peace, at least not in her lifetime.  
  
"Mommy!" Little Bail came running down the hall, followed by his twin sister, Beru. "She's gonna hurt me!"  
  
Luke Skywalker came sweeping out from the shadows and scooped up little Beru, "Oh no she's not."  
  
Luke's wife, Gaeriel Captison, laughed as she followed her husband into the room, "Oh good grief!"  
  
Leia kissed Gaeriel's cheek, "How have you been?"  
  
"Great, great. And you?"  
  
Leia smothered Bail with kisses, "Never better."  
  
After Han's death Luke realized just how important it was to follow your heart. He had taken the first available ship to Bakura and told Gaeriel how he felt. Now they were married.  
  
"How's Anakin?" Leia asked, referring to Gaeriel and Luke's oldest son.  
  
"Great." Gaeriel replied. "He was thrilled when we told him that he'd be staying with Uncle Yeorg for a few days 'til we send for him."  
  
Leia smiled, "And Ben?"  
  
"Never better." Luke replied as he hoisted his niece up on his shoulders.  
  
"And baby Wedge?"  
  
"Perfect." Gaeriel said. "And we have some great news."  
  
"What's that?" Leia asked, putting her son down. Gaeriel exchanged a smile with her husband. "What?" Leia asked.  
  
"Luke and I are going to have another child."  
  
"What?" Leia cried. It was a good thing she put Bail down. If she hadn't she would have dropped him.  
  
Luke nodded, "We decided after this one, no more."  
  
"Luke's all ready figured it'd be a girl. And we're going to name her Leia."  
  
Leia was truly touched, "Wow. That's wonderful." She kissed Gaeriel's cheek. She sent the kids off for a little private time with her brother and sister-in-law.  
  
"So," Gaeriel started, "Have you and Isolder decided to have no more children?"  
  
Leia shrugged, "I wanted another but Isolder refuses."  
  
Luke placed an arm around Leia's shoulder and squeezed affectionately, "Don't worry. We'll just send Ben your way."  
  
Gaeriel slugged Luke and the three of them laughed harder then they could ever remember.  
  
***  
  
His eyes were groggy as he awoke, "Where am I?" He asked. Though it came out more like "Wutamfoloa" He saw a woman changing some tubes running into his arms. "Where am I?" He repeated. This time it came out right.  
  
"Oh, so you're awake." She said, smiling over him, "We were afraid you would never wake up."  
  
"How long have I been here?" He asked. He was so groggy.  
  
"Nearly ten years."  
  
"Who am I?"  
  
His nurse was startled. She hadn't been expecting that question. "We don't know. We were hoping you could tell us."  
  
He laid back on his pillow, "No I can't."  
  
***  
  
Chewie growled at Isolder, shaking his fist high. He was clearly angry, and it wasn't for the first time.  
  
Isolder shook, his own fist at the towering wookie, "Don't you tell me what to do!"  
  
Chewie barred his teeth at the prince and gave another threatening growl.  
  
Luke poked his head in the room and then turned to his sister, who was looking amused, "Aren't you going to stop him?" Luke asked. When Leia didn't answer Luke said, "Chewie might hurt him."  
  
Leia shrugged and turned back to continue walking down the hall, "Nah. Isolder could use a good beating."  
  
Luke's surprised expression made Leia grin and she patted her brother's arm, "It's all right." Gaeriel was running up ahead with the kids. "Look, Luke you don't know everything that goes on between Isolder and myself."  
  
Luke stopped her by putting his own hand on her arm, "Tell me."  
  
Leia sighed and resumed walking, "Just the little things. At first it was difficult, really difficult to move on. Isolder was really supportive but it was just far too difficult to move on. You know? To go on living without Han. I spent the first year and half of our marriage working to destroy the Empire and then all we had was time on our hands and I couldn't help but think about Han and how much I had, and still do, love him."  
  
Luke gave a supporting nod, "Go on."  
  
Leia shrugged, "I don't know. It's just different, that's all. He knows that I will never get over Han and will never stop thinking of him. He KNOWS and that's what makes life difficult. We fight all the time, never in front of the children mind you. But its just nonstop."  
  
Luke nodded, "Is there anything I can do?"  
  
Leia shook her head, "Unless you can change time there is nothing you can do."  
  
***  
  
The doctor patted his patient's arm. "Don't worry. It'll be all right. I've found you a job."  
  
"A job?" The man asked, "I don't even know who I am."  
  
The doctor shrugged, "We've created an identity for you until you know who are."  
  
"Well what is my identity?"  
  
"Your name is Jaydon Reed." The man made a face. And the doctor sighed, "It's the best we can do."  
  
"What am I doing?" The man, now going by the name of Jaydon Reed, asked.  
  
"I'll be taking you to Corscant. A cousin of mine there is an Admiral with the Republic and he needs a new mechanic."  
  
Jaydon made a face, "Mechanic?"  
  
The other man nodded, "Yes."  
  
"I'm not a mechanic."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I'm just not!" Jaydon cried.  
  
Jaydon's doctor shrugged, "Well we've run you identity through the database and the closest thing we could come up with is Han Solo."  
  
"Han Solo?" Jaydon asked.  
  
"Yes. But he's deceased. Died after you arrived here."  
  
Jaydon sighed.  
  
A nurse stuck her head in the room, "Dr. Aludnis. We need you in Room Four."  
  
After Dr. Aludnis left Jaydon was left to contemplate his life. He picked up a bedside mirror and looked at himself. There were several long scars running down the right side of his face, a small one by his chin, and two long scars in the middle of his left cheek. He defiantly wasn't the most attractive of his kind. He picked up the computer print out of this Solo man. Jaydon thought he looked like him. Around the eyes a little anyway.  
  
***  
  
Admiral Antilles, known as Wedge to his dearest of friends, headed down the bridge. "Wedge! I'm so glad you could make it." Queen Mother Organa said.  
  
Wedge smiled at his oldest and dearest of friends, "Leia! I wouldn't miss it for the world."  
  
Leia grinned, "Well stop blabbing and come on down. Luke's all ready here."  
  
"Really?" Wedge asked. Luke was another of his dear and old friends but they had hardly spoken since Wedge's wedding three years ago. They were both far too busy. "We're coming down now."  
  
"Great!"  
  
Wedge flicked off the screen. Even after all these years Leia still couldn't fool him. Behind that happy smile Wedge saw heartbreak. He had known Leia since they had been sixteen and running missions for the alliance. He had known her longer and better then any of the pilots he had trusted his life with. The Republic had been thrilled when Leia announced her engagement to the Hapan Prince Isolder. But Leia's dearest friends were subdued. Leia's heart belonged to the rouge Han Solo. Everyone knew that. Leia had risked the fate of the galaxy to save her love from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt.  
  
He sighed and sat down. He was here on behalf of the New Republic and would be here for a few short moments before going to train some new mechanic his cousin was bringing him. Some man with no identity. But they needed all the help they could get.  
  
***  
  
Jaydon and Dr. Aludnis entered the mechanics room. The room was filled with X-wings that needed repairing.  
  
"So that's it? You're just taking your reward and going?"  
  
"That's right. I'm not crazy enough to stick around here. Why don't you come with us? You'd be good in a fight."  
  
Jaydon was shook out of the memory as quickly as it had come.  
  
Dr. Aludnis looked at his patient, "What is it?"  
  
"I just had a memory. It was small fragment. Nothing reviling however."  
  
"Well something here must have trigged it."  
  
Jaydon nodded, "There were a lot of X-wings in the background."  
  
Aludnis grinned, "We're getting somewhere. Just take it one step at a time."  
  
***  
  
Wedge bounded down the stairs. Even after years of being an Admiral he still loved to train new mechanics in on their work. He entered the room where he saw his tall cousin standing and paused. There was Han Solo!  
  
Or rather a man who looked so much like him. His face was badly scared and Wedge knew for a fact that Han was dead. Wedge sighed. He hadn't really known Han. Not like he knew Leia and Luke but Wedge still missed the old rogue. He really did.  
  
"Hello. You must be my newest mechanic."  
  
The man nodded, "Apparently."  
  
"What name did my cousin come up for you?"  
  
But the man was studying Wedge, "You look oddly familiar to me."  
  
Wedge nearly said that he had the same feeling but kept his mouth shut, "So. Name?"  
  
"Jaydon Reed."  
  
The man even sounded like Han. Wedge nodded, "Lets get to work, then shall we?"  
  
After several grueling hours Wedge was convinced this man was defiantly the man for the job. "You are quite the mechanic."  
  
Jaydon nodded, "I suppose so."  
  
Wedge turned on the news and was not surprised to see another tabloid special on Leia.  
  
Jaydon's mouth popped open, "She's beautiful."  
  
Wedge laughed and clapped the other man on the shoulder as they sat down, "Don't get your hopes up. She's married."  
  
"I love you!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"She seems familiar."  
  
Wedge huffed, "She should. She's the most famous woman in the galaxy. Always on the news."  
  
"No but I mean. She said she loved me."  
  
Wedge raised his eyebrows. Could this man be Han? Was it really possible? No. He told himself. Luke and Leia had confirmed his death. The ship carrying the nightsisters had exploded and everyone on it had died. No bodies had been found but further examination showed that no escape pods had been sent and video footage shoed Han getting on that ship. "Keep dreaming. Probably someone who looks like her."  
  
Jaydon nodded, "Probably."  
  
***  
  
Leia crossed her arms and stared defiantly at her husband, "Don't you tell me what to do!"  
  
Isolder grabbed her roughly and Leia stifled a shout, "I suppose you're going to call your Jedi brother!" He spat.  
  
Leia gritted her teeth and used the force to send him spiraling across the room and to hold him there, "Not likely."  
  
Isolder was stronger than her force hold and forced her onto the bed. Leia tried to give a shout but his mouth quickly covered hers and she smacked him. Isolder pinned her to the bed, "Thinking about your smuggler?" He snapped.  
  
Leia gritted her teeth. Isolder had done everything to keep her happy but something had happened two years ago. He was no longer trying to make her happy and quite the gentleman. Now he was just abusive. Leia raked her claws across his face but Isolder was stronger. She was tried of fighting and after a few more minutes of struggling she finally gave up and allowed him to have his way with her.  
  
***  
  
Jaydon tossed and turned in his sleep.  
  
"This is some rescue! When you came here didn't you have a plan for getting out?"  
  
"He's the brains, Sweetheart!"  
  
The sweat trickled down his back.  
  
"I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I'm sorry."  
  
"I'm sorry too."  
  
Jaydon awoke with a start. Was he getting his memory back? He sure hoped so.  
  
***  
  
Queen Mother Organa arrived with her husband Isolder and her children, Bail and Beru, to Corscant a week later. Naturally accompanied by their Wookie companion, Chewbacca. It was a diplomatic meeting that should take no more then a few days.  
  
Her first stop, unknown to her husband, was to see her old friend Wedge. "Wedge. Hi."  
  
Wedge got up and wiped his hands on his overalls as he hugged her, "Hey. What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well we're here on a-" Leia stopped as a voice so familiar filled her ears.  
  
"No this one goes here. That one goes over there."  
  
Leia turned and hurried towards the sound of the voice. Wedge automatically knew what she was thinking, "Organa wait!"  
  
Leia turned a corner and there he was.  
  
Jaydon heard the commotion behind him and turned around and there she was. The woman who had said I love you.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Someone who loves you."  
  
"Leia!"  
  
Jaydon stared at her. "Leia?" He asked uncertainly.  
  
Leia's mouth parted and she went to say his name when Wedge stopped her, "Leia, don't. He doesn't know who he is."  
  
Leia opened her mouth to argue that it was Han, around the eyes anyway, when she stopped. Maybe this was a con.  
  
"Han!"  
  
"I know. You love me. I've always known."  
  
Jaydon's mouth parted in surprise, "Han!" He was Han Solo. Memories flooded back so fast he was nearly knocked off his feet, "My name is Han Solo." He started rattling off facts to prove it, "You are Princess Leia of Alderaan, and your brother is Luke Skywalker. You are Wedge. You were pilot. You flew alongside Luke at Yavin Four and you were a leader during the attack at Endor. Last time I saw you Leia I put a grenade in my belt and you kissed me. I had kidnapped you and taken you to some stupid planet that I had won. You called out my name before I went to surrender myself to Zsinji and the nightsisters. You wanted to tell me that you loved me but you couldn't."  
  
Leia knew it was he. No one but herself and he knew what had happened outside the Falcon before he left. Leia flew into his arms, "Han!"  
  
Han hugged her tightly, "Leia." He pulled back, "How's Luke? Lando? Chewie? The droids?"  
  
"Fine. All fine!" She cried and hugged him tightly and then pulled back and silently swore to herself.  
  
There was a loud clearing of the throat. Leia let go of her lost lover and came face to face with her abusive husband. Leia swallowed and Han tightly held Leia's hand as he said, "Well, well. If it isn't Isolder."  
  
Isolder cocked one eyebrow, "And I did my best to make sure you would never come out of the coma. Tsk. Tsk. Good help is so hard to find."  
  
Leia's mouth dropped, "YOU DID WHAT?"  
  
Isolder shrugged, "I wanted you. I loved you. I couldn't have him coming back. He never got on that blasted ship. But when the ship crashed back down it fell very near him. Nearly killed him. I had a video prepared that showed Solo getting on the ship and made sure he was sent somewhere far away. Unfortunately I didn't pay enough attention to the people I paid. I didn't know that the doctor in charge of Solo's care was Antilles' cousin."  
  
The anger surged through Leia as she spit out a curse.  
  
Han, never unprepared even when he didn't know who he was, pulled out a blaster hooked on his hip, "Well I have a small request."  
  
"You are in no position to make demands Solo."  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
Isolder dragged out something from behind him, a child, and Leia gave a shriek, "Let him go."  
  
The boy withered in Isolder's arms, "Daddy! Let me go!"  
  
Han's eyes popped open. He would never let Isolder hurt a child, especially Leia's child. Han put the blaster down but Leia was quicker. Using the force she smacked Isolder over the head with a piece of heavy equipment, "WEDGE GET BAIL!" She cried. Wedge ran over and picked up the crying child and Isolder and Han began to scuffle with the gun.  
  
She ran over and embraced her son, "Wedge," She said over Bail's shoulder, "Get Chewie and Beru. Tell Chewie and Beru NOTHING. Just get them here."  
  
Wedge nodded and hurried off. Leia passed Bail over to another mechanic and was just about to get herself involved in the scuffle between her only love and her husband when the blaster went off. Leia screamed.  
  
THE END  
  
Note: Look for the sequel, Self Defense, coming soon! 


End file.
